I just came across the following article at AZ 'Homeland Security' Checkpoint: Day 4 and wanted to share. If any one has any doubt that the U.S. is not becoming a police state, articles like this may change your mind. I am opposed to checkpoints since I consider them a violation of the Fourth Amendment and I'm glad that people are publicizing incidents like this. I worked with a man whose car was emptied and subjected to a complete search here in Tennessee several years ago while heading to the Smoky Mountains for a family vacation with young children along (and no drugs were found) so the incident described below is not an isolated case and isn't limited to Arizona. Land of the free? Not anymore! 8)

AZ 'Homeland Security' Checkpoint: Day 4

Terry Bressi
Website: Checkpoint USA
Blog: Roadblock Revelations
Date: 01-30-2008
Subject: Police State

It looks like the Department of Homeland Security has expanded the scope of its suspicionless checkpoint operations near mile marker 146 on SR86 from (as some would erroneously claim) a 'simple' immigration check to also include sniffs from specially trained drug dogs.

While driving home from work on the evening of January 23, 2008, I was stopped for a 4th time at this internal checkpoint. Agents weren't just limiting themselves to demanding one's citizenship status & visually searching vehicles however. This time, a Homeland Security K-9 handler ran his specially trained drug sniffing dog 360 degrees around my vehicle at the same time the stopping agent demanded I roll down my window and state my citizenship.

Just to clarify for folks unfamiliar with this story. I'm not discussing a border Port of Entry operation. I'm discussing a roving suspicionless Homeland Security checkpoint setup in the interior of the country, over 40 miles North of the border. Vehicles are being forced to come to a dead stop from 65 miles an hour by federal agents who have positioned themselves in the middle of a two lane State highway and refuse to identify themselves when so requested.

Several individuals have criticized me in the past by claiming it's no big deal to be seized by federal agents in the interior of the country absent reasonable suspicion to make inquiries regarding citizenship status. I suppose its also no big deal to be seized from one's travels absent reasonable suspicion so that specially trained canine units can get a good sniff of your property as well.

After entering the checkpoint and realizing a drug dog was present, I tried taking a full resolution photo of the handler and his german shephard searching the vehicle in front of me. My camera had different plans however and decided that was a good time to shut down for the evening. As such, the video of the checkpoint stop ends shortly after I enter the checkpoint.

After the drug dog was directed at me, it came up empty pawed much to the disappointment of the on-scene agents. Shortly thereafter, I was waived through the checkpoint proving once again I'm no threat to the homeland - at least until H.R. 1955 is passed by Congress and signed into law by the President.

For those interested, I have now consolidated my videos of these checkpoint stops on You Tube.

I'll also note before finishing up that I've definitely gotten the attention of Homeland Security. I'm thinking my next article may very well be titled, The Empire Strikes Back....

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"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." Thomas Jefferson

Walter Mondale: "George Bush doesn't have the manhood to apologize." George Bush: "Well, on the manhood thing, I'll put mine up against his any time."

Since the incident occured 40 miles north of the border, it is within the jurisdiction of the Border Patrol.

"They didn’t cop an attitude, and rather explained to me that they have jurisdiction inside the United States anywhere within 100 miles of any US border. Satisfy their request, or chance being arrested."
FACELESS TRAVELERS AND THE US BORDER PATROL | REALNEO for all

I'll do more research on this to get some more data on the 100 mile jurisdiction and post it later.

We white people shouldn't be stopped! Just the Mexicans!

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"Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states...Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."



~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I know plenty of Mexicans with very light colored skin. It's Spains influence.

I think you missed the point.

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"Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states...Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."



~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I assume you are saying, anyone that looks Latino. I wish I had the time to explain to you how many Latino Americans served in Nam with bravery, how many times they had my back.

And how would they feel getting stopped with no probable cause or warrant?

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National Debt =

Think for a second: Is that racist statement consistent with any of my other positions?

I'm being sarcastic! 8)

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"Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states...Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."



~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Zeig Heil.

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"Have you no decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
-Joseph Welch

Things like that are the reason I adovate an armed citizenry. "Oh, the police and soldiers will be on our side", sure they will, just like the guys in the videos right?

Fun facts:

You DON'T have to tell ANY LEO your citizenship.
You CAN'T be detained for failing to provide your citizenship.
You CAN simply drive away if an LEO tells you that you are not being detained.
Even if you do not have anything to hide, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you give your permission for him to search your vehicle.
A cop is not above the law. Any police officer in violation of your rights is no longer an authority figure, and subject to the same punishment as any other mugger (ie, if a cop is abusing you, fight back).

Alas, most people see a badge and a big scary gun on the man with the military haircut and think that if they don't comply with orders that they'll be arrested. I have denied cops permission to search my truck plenty of times during the pryo holidays (New Year's, the 4th), and the look of frustration on their faces is always so amazingly satisfying.

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"If the founding fathers had all been 'go with the flow' kind of guys we'd all be sitting around sipping tea and listening to Oasis right now." - A friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muHg86Mys7I